By RICK WALL
VICTORIAN netball stars Ashlee Howard and Tamara Luke will play in the local Yarra Valley Mountain District Football Netball League next season.
Luke will be the playing coach at the Olinda-Ferny Creek Club and Howard, who was very close to selection in the elite Trans-Tasman competition last year, will be her assistant.
Howard has had a glittering career at the top level of netball playing for Australian underage teams as well as the Vixens and the West Coast Fever in the national league.
Despite suffering a serious knee injury in 2010 Howard was still on the Vixens’ list as late as last season.
Luke likewise has experience at the highest level after a strong career with the Melbourne Kestrels and in 2013 won major awards with VNL club Boroondara.
She has a reputation for strong club commitment which is why Olinda-Ferny Creek offered a contract.
Another sign that Olinda-Ferny Creek is a great place for local sport is the club’s two previous netball coaches, Toby Beasley and John Portaranios, who will both be looking after teams next season.
Meantime former Saint Kilda player and Casey assistant Peter Brown will be senior football coach again in 2014 while dual premiership winning junior coach Stef Rosier will look after the Reserves and former Richmond player Adrian McClellan will coach the Under 18s.
